Scherzer: Mets focusing on '25-26
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Newly acquired Texas Rangers starter Max Scherzer says he okayed a trade away from the New York Mets when general manager Billy Eppler indicated that the team intends to contend in 2025 at the earliest.
Scherzer, whose 2024 option became guaranteed after the trade, spoke to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
“I talked to Billy,” Scherzer told Rosenthal. “I was like, ‘OK, are we reloading for 2024?’ He goes, ‘No, we’re not. Basically our vision now is for 2025-2026, ‘25 at the earliest, more like ‘26. We’re going to be making trades around that. I was like, ‘So the team is not going to be pursuing free agents this offseason or assemble a team that can compete for a World Series next year?’ He said, ‘No, we’re not going to be signing the upper-echelon guys. We’re going to be on the smaller deals within free agency. ‘24 is now looking to be more of a kind of transitory year.'"
Scherzer indicated that Eppler expressed openness about dealing players who are under contract in 2024 including Pete Alonso and Brooks Raley.
Justin Verlander was traded to the Houston Astros earlier on Tuesday.
The Mets sit fourth in the National League East at 50-55. They are six games out of the final NL wild-card spot.